


A World of Zeroes and Ones

by CosmicCrossing



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Alternate Ending to Season 2, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And cuddle. There will be lots of cuddling, Basically Lance and Keith go on space adventures together, I would say more but SPOILERS!!, Keith is crushing HARD, Keith is recovering from a nearly fatal blow, Lance is babysitting him, Lance seems oblivious but is he really?, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oh my god there is SO MUCH pining, The other Paladins are off doing stuff, Yes it's THAT AU you might have seen on tumblr, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 15:13:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9497873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: After a terrifying final battle against Zarkon, Keith awakens to find himself back on Earth with hardly any memories of the fight. Lance reassures him that everything is fine as it should be, but as Keith recovers he begins to notice that something is off...and that Lance is definitely hiding something from him. But when he comes to learn the truth, he begins to regret ever seeking it in the first place, because it is far more devastating than he could have ever imagined.“The world of zeroes and ones I saw with you—what have I lost?”(Klance AU, alternate ending to season 2!)Chapter 6Time to make some music.





	1. Back on Planet Earth

**Author's Note:**

> Dun dah dah dun! Here it is! The long awaited Klance AU I've been teasing over the last week...! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can go check out my tumblr page where all of the information is, but be warned, there are MAJOR SPOILERS for this story over there! If you want to wait and avoid them until they're revealed in the story, you totally can. Or, if you want to find out the truth, head on over to shima-draws! There's tons of comics, doodles, and other stuff about this AU there ^^
> 
> I chose not to archive warnings for this, otherwise doing that would also be a major spoiler :-/ When it is revealed I'll change the tags and stuff, but for now I'm leaving it as it is.
> 
> And...yeah. I think that's about it? A special shoutout to my friend Ferrah and her girlfriend Erika for reading and encouraging me about this, thanks so much you guys! I really appreciate it.
> 
> Okay, here we go! I hope you like it! (Also, I apologize if anyone seems OOC, this is my first time writing for this fandom and I've only watched both seasons all the way through once, so I'm not all that knowledgeable about their characters //sweats)
> 
> Roll the chappy!

 

Everything is hazy. It's the sort of out of place feeling one gets after just waking up, disoriented and confused, still trapped in the spaces in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Sounds fade in and out of his ears as he struggles to get a grip on reality. He wants to pull himself out of the fuzzy slumber he's been trapped in for what seems like forever.

Amongst the fogginess that has settled like a cloud over his brain, a voice calls out to him. It's clear and crisp, and as he fights to recognize just who it belongs to, something grabs a hold of his arm and shakes him gently.

"Keith...come on, Keith, wake up!"

His eyes shoot open.

The lights on the ceiling are dimmed down, but they still manage to pierce through him and he reels back, head throbbing. Every part of his body is sore and achy, and even the thought of moving makes an unpleased groan escape his lips.

A chuckle sounds from beside him, and he looks around warily, finding the source of the voice to be a lanky teen with short brown locks and a fiery spark in his dark ocean eyes.

"Well, at least you haven't lost your grumpiness," Lance snorts, amused.

Keith reaches up to rub at his eyes, a tired yawn escaping him. He wants to go back to sleep but with the knowledge that Lance is in the room with him, he knows it will probably be impossible.

"Keith," Lance's voice is uncharacteristically soft. "Are you okay?"

The black-haired boy heaves out a sigh and stretches a little, grimacing when his muscles fight back and give him pain that runs all the way down to his fingertips. Just how long was he out?

"Lance," he mumbles, his mouth quite not working with him yet, "Where...where are we?"

Lance appears to be relieved, the tension in his shoulders fading. "We're at the Garrison," he answers. Triumph shines in his eyes and makes his lips quirk up at the corners.

"We did it, Keith. We defeated Zarkon. We're back on Earth now."

This comes as news to Keith, for his eyes widen the slightest fraction and his mouth drops open. Had they really? He tries to recall any details of that final fight for the sake of the universe, but all he can remember is a searing pain in his side and a gentle voice lulling him to sleep. All of the other memories are blurred out by static and his head starts to hurt if he thinks about it too much.

Lance frowns, somehow able to sense just what is going through his mind.

"You got hurt pretty bad," he murmurs, rubbing the back of his neck. Keith notices several scars on his arms that have faded into pale marks against his skin. Lance hadn't escaped unscathed, either.

"After we dealt the final blow to Zarkon, his forces came out of nowhere and practically blew us all apart," he continues, eyebrows drawn together. "You took a hit and that was it. You were out for the rest of the battle."

Keith groans and rubs his temples, fighting to remember. Yes, he does vaguely recall something like that happening. The searing pain in his side...Red had gotten struck down, her systems going offline, and they were spiraling out into space with no control. A beam pierced through the glass and struck him head on, and the pain had been so great that he'd blacked out. Everything after that was one giant blur.

"Luckily I managed to catch you and drag you back to the castle before you were blown to smithereens. You're welcome!" Lance chuckles in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Keith can't find it in himself to smile back at him. He feels as if there's an important piece of the puzzle missing.

Then he realizes.

"Shiro...Pidge, and Hunk and Allura and Coran—where are they?" He gasps out, looking around for any sign of his other teammates. The room is empty, the only other sound besides his harsh breathing is the beeping of the monitor next to his bed.

"Whoa, hey! Easy there, champ," the brunette lays a comforting hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back into bed. Keith struggles for a moment before relenting, too exhausted to try harder.

"Seriously, don't be a reckless idiot." Lance huffs, staring him down. "The others are fine. Pidge left to go look for her family, and Hunk went with her. Allura and Coran are searching the galaxy for other Alteans—I guess they want to find anyone left of their race or something. Oh, and Shiro is going around clearing out any Galra resistance. He's basically checking to make sure all the planets are freed, ya know? But don't worry, he's not by himself. Tons of the people we've helped are lending a hand too."

Keith relaxes a little at hearing this, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. He stares down at the navy blanket across his lap and takes a second to actually get a good look at himself.

Unsurprisingly, he's covered in bandages that spiral up his arms and loop around his chest. A thick pad of gauze is taped across his midsection, most likely the area where he'd been hit the hardest, and he hisses in through his teeth when he touches it. An IV is attached to his arm, feeding him fluids. A complicated assortment of medical and technological equipment is stacked up next to him, and the sound of his heartbeat echoes through the heart monitor. If there's this much machinery in the room, his injury must have been quite serious.

The room itself is quite plain; the only other thing there besides his bed is the chair Lance is sitting in and the dim lights shining down from the ceiling. The walls are a soothing brown color. There's a singular door directly across from him, beckoning him to freedom. Keith doesn't remember there being rooms like this inside the Garrison; then again, he had been kicked out shortly after he began attending here so he never had the chance to properly explore the place. This room is most likely located in the medical wing of the building, a place he did not frequent often during his time here, for he's always been very careful. Looking down at himself, he winces. Maybe not careful enough.

Lance watches him in silence, which is honestly a bit shocking coming from him, but Keith is grateful that the Blue Paladin is allowing him a little privacy and not invading his personal space with gloating or endless questions.

"Hey, Lance?" Keith traces the bandage across his cheek with a slender finger, deep in thought. Lance lazily regards him, sapphire eyes as sharp as ever.

"What's up, mullet?"

Keith scowls at the nickname but brushes it off, instead going on to ask him something that had been nagging him for a while.

"Why is everyone off doing things?" He asks, then quickly corrects himself, "I mean, not that they can't, but—I just thought that we were, you know, supposed to stay together. In case we needed to form Voltron or something," he mumbles quickly.

Lance draws back, uncertainty painted across his face. He closes his eyes and breathes out a long sigh.

"Keith...you've been unconscious for nearly three weeks now."

The injured teen pales, his breath catching in his throat.  _ That long? _

Lance leans back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head.

"After a week or so everyone started to get restless, you know, since they all had things to do. Shiro asked me to stay behind and wait for you to wake up, so that's why I'm here."

For some reason that statement stings, a small pain that vibrates in his chest. Keith looks away, jaw taut. Of course. If Lance could, he'd probably go back home to reunite with his family. He doesn't want to be here with Keith, but he has to, since Shiro said so.

The fact that he'd been out for nearly a month makes it all the more worse. He'd become unnecessary baggage to his friends, who couldn't bare to sit watching him take his sweet time to come back to the world of the living. He can't believe himself. Frustration bubbles underneath his skin and crawls up his throat but he swallows it down, not wanting to appear weaker than he already is. As if Lance doesn't already make fun of him enough.

"What's that look for? You should be happy I'm here," Lance's voice breaks him out of his thoughts, and he turns to face him so fast he almost gets whiplash. Clearly the expression he's making startles the teen, for he releases a small noise and his shoulders hunch up.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Keith snaps, gritting his teeth.  _ If you don't want to be here with me, just say so _ , he thinks angrily, fighting the urge to shout at Lance. It won't help with his condition, he knows that, so he reels it in and keeps it bottled inside. Just like he always does.

Lance holds his hands up in defense, looking totally confused. "What? No! What are you talking about? There's no way I'm leaving you!"

And those words seem to defuse everything in an instant. Keith inhales sharply, blinking the soft light of the room out of his eyes. Lance's words, though he most definitely meant them as a gesture of camaraderie, make something flutter deep in the pit of his stomach. It's not an unwelcome feeling; in fact, it's quite pleasant, and Keith has to take a moment to get ahold of his emotions before he speaks again.

"Um...your family," he starts awkwardly, "I meant that—don't you want to go home and be with them? I mean..."

"Oh,  _ that's _ what you were talking about," Lance laughs, calming down slightly. "Nah, it's fine. I visited them during the first week you were out, and I call them every once in a while. 'Sides, someone has to look out for you," and he grins, the sight so warm and carefree that Keith feels like he's looking at the sun. He has to tear himself away otherwise he might just drown in the blueness of Lance's eyes.

What is he, a poet? Quiznak!

"Outside," he says suddenly, needing to get his mind off of Lance's smile. That stupid, stupidly sweet smile. He clears his throat and straightens his posture, trying to look more composed. "I want to...go outside."

And he starts to move, shoving the blanket off of his legs and shifting towards the edge of the bed. A cry of shock sounds from beside him and before he knows it, he's halfway on the floor and Lance's arms are supporting him, anchoring him to what remains of his consciousness. Black spots dance in front of his eyes and he whimpers, a bolt of pain running up his spine.

"Idiot!" Lance gasps out, his breath hot against Keith's ear. Another whimper leaps out of his throat, but this time it's not from the pain.

"You've been in a freaking coma for three weeks and you're still recovering," Lance snaps, giving his upper body a gentle push. He falls back into bed, panting, sweat beading on his forehead from the exertion.

"Do you have a death wish or something? Jesus," the brunette breathes, but underneath his harsh words is a layer of concern that he can't hide.

Keith takes a few moments to get his breathing back to normal and whispers a quiet apology. Apparently he's still not up to snuff, but he really does want to go outside. He can't remember what Earth's sky looks like and he longs to see it again. Not to mention he doesn't want Lance to stay here and put up with him any longer than he has to. A pang of guilt ensnares him like a vine. He's the one keeping Lance here, away from his family. He has to get better as soon as possible.

He realizes that, in a way, Shiro had basically asked Lance to act as his babysitter. He can understand the need for the other Paladin to look after him; he's one of the saviors of the universe so there's a chance the Galra might come after him for revenge against murdering their leader, yadda yadda yadda, not to mention the fact that he can't even manage to stand by himself. But still, his stubbornness rises to the surface and yells that he doesn't need Lance to look after him, he can do it himself. He's suffered injuries like this before, and he's always gotten through them without any help. Maybe that's why this situation is so strange. There's someone else here now, someone else to watch over him. He can rest easy and not force himself to stay awake just to live another day. The thought is both comforting and frightening. He's basically placing his life in Lance's hands...

Not that he doesn't trust Lance, he does, wholeheartedly. The arrogant yet amazingly brave teen has helped him out of more situations than he cares to admit. He has no doubt that Lance would give up his life to protect him, and it's that fact that has shudders racing up his spine. If anything bad ever happens to Lance...he shakes it off quickly, not wanting to dwell on that horror any longer. Keith is close with all of his teammates, but Lance is different. Their rivalry has often gotten them into trouble, but most of the time it's friendly, competitive, something he enjoys. Lance always manages to spark something in him, whether it be adventure or courage or even determination. He'll never say it aloud but Lance means a lot to him, and they've grown closer over the time they've been together. Keith wouldn't trade him for the world, and he hopes Lance feels the same way about him.

Lance definitely won't kill him in his sleep, but Keith won't be surprised if he wakes up and finds himself covered in Altean space goo. If there's one thing Lance loves besides piloting, it's playing pranks. On everyone.

"You look exhausted," Lance comments, his voice kind. "Go back to sleep, alright? You look like you need it."

Keith snorts but doesn't argue, instead leaning further back into the pillows. They're not as soft as the ones in the castle, and an intense feeling akin to homesickness rings through him. The castle had become like a home to him, and he longs to be back already. He wonders how Allura and Coran are doing, and if they've found any other Alteans. He hopes Pidge and Hunk are successful in finding Matt and Commander Holt. He wishes Shiro luck in beating down any Galra resistance. He sincerely wants Lance to stay with him, if just for a little longer. Suddenly the world seems so large, and the feeling in his chest erupts into something painful and aching. He misses all of them. Pidge's smart remarks, Coran's cheerful voice, Hunk's hilarious appetite, Allura's bright optimism, Shiro's kind leadership. His teammates...his friends.

Lance seems to understand, for the emotion in his eyes is raw, bittersweet.

"Get some rest," he murmurs, leaning over to give Keith's arm a little squeeze. Keith's eyes flutter shut, a blackness rising up to envelop him like a warm blanket.

"I promise I'll be right here when you wake up."

Lance's voice is soothing, and with a slight jolt Keith realizes the taller teen had whispered something to him like this before, back at the castle after he'd been hit. He can't remember the words.

Eventually the rest of the world fades around him and he slips into unconsciousness, his body going slack.

Lance tucks a strand of inky black hair behind Keith's ear, his expression pained and full of emotion. He breathes out a quiet sigh before leaning back in his chair, his eyes rising to the ceiling above him. The lights wink out, shrouding the room in darkness. The only light source comes from the stripes running across the wall, giving off a soft yellow glow.

The brunette sits in the darkness and closes his eyes, a tear sliding down his cheek. He sniffs and wipes it away, nodding to himself.

"It worked," he rasps, his voice cracking. All he gets in response is the quiet humming of the machines.

"Yes, I know. I'll take good care of him. I promised."


	2. Azure Heavens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's chapter two! Honestly I'm astounded by the attention this story has gotten, thanks so much you guys!! Already I've got so many wonderful kudos and comments, and it means more than I can say ;w; I've been welcomed so warmly into the Voltron fandom...thank you!
> 
> So, a couple things:  
> There's a mention of how long the gang was out saving the universe, over the span of seasons one and two. Tbh I have absolutely NO IDEA how long they were gone from Earth, so I just estimated and said it was less than a year. (I wasn't specific. Just a very vague expression of time lol.)
> 
> Secondly, I'd like to make clear that I usually NEVER. Post chapters this fast, ever. It's very rare for me to write several in the span of a few days. So this...is unusual. And also very good, I guess?  
> I'm going to make a rule for myself, I am not allowed to post the next chapter until the one after that is done being written. It helps me stay on top of things. Also I used to make it a rule to make the chapters super long, which is dumb since it takes me longer to write them? I mean, my chapters can be as short as I want, I have no idea why I did that to myself //facepalms  
> ANYWAY! Chapter 3 is finished, which is why I'm posting chapter 2 now. Chapter 4 hasn't been started, but I'm going to work on it this week, so chapter 3 should be up soon...hopefully. We'll see how it goes!
> 
> Whew! Sorry for rambling, as usual, and again, thank you all so so so so much for your support! I'm just blown away here!
> 
> Well then! I hope you enjoy! Roll the chappy!

"What are you doing?"

Lance looks up from where he's typing out something on a translucent blue screen, raising a sleek brown eyebrow.

"Looking at porn," he responds, expression completely serious.

Keith rolls his eyes and groans. It's been three days since he'd first woken up from his short-term coma, and the longer he stays here the more he wants to escape and get as far away from Lance as possible. The Blue Paladin is being absolutely insufferable right now.

"Lance," Keith growls out, a warning tone to his voice. Lance giggles like a little kid caught doing something naughty (which isn't a lie) and slides the screen over to Keith, who immediately leaps back and shields his eyes from whatever inappropriate terrors await him.

"Oh, stop that!" Lance kicks the bed with his foot, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I was checking in with Shiro. He says hi, by the way."

Keith reads over the messages and smiles. Shiro had asked how he was doing, to which Lance responded he was healing quite quickly. Shiro wished him a full recovery before saying he had to get going, something about a planet called Estyke needing an inspection. Apparently some of the Galra are in hiding, and Shiro is trying to weed them out.

"I haven't heard from the others yet," Lance continues as Keith takes a chance to check the time and the date. It's early morning in July, and he shakes his head in slight surprise. Has it already been a year since Lance had barged in on him in his attempt to rescue Shiro and they'd dived headfirst into a dangerous adventure? He can hardly believe that much time has passed. But considering they had been leaping from galaxy to galaxy, rescuing planet after planet, it makes sense that there's somewhat of a time warp back on Earth. Keith is sure it hasn't been a whole year since they left.

"I think Allura and Coran are too far out to reach us with communications, and I have no idea where Pidge and Hunk are. But I'm sure they're fine," Lance shrugs, leaning so far back in his chair that it tips. He stays perfectly balanced there, eyes narrowed in concentration as he shifts his weight accordingly. Keith pushes the screen back over to him and he receives it, falling back down onto the ground with a small thud.

As Lance continues to blabber on about the latest news, Keith focuses intensely on stretching out his muscles. His longing to at least walk around the Garrison has increased over the past three days. He knows he needs more rest, but he's starting to develop a serious case of cabin fever the longer he stays cooped up in bed. Unfortunately, Lance is stubborn as a Balmera crystal and absolutely refuses to let him leave the room unless it's to go to the bathroom. That alone is embarrassing enough since Keith can't make it there and back without feeling like passing out, so Lance has to help him. Thankfully the dark-skinned teen never comments on that, instead leaving him to his business and helping him back to bed when he gets finished.

Keith leans forward to touch his toes, gritting his teeth slightly when the movement upsets the wound across his hip. Every other part of him feels in tip top shape—well, maybe not exactly since his arms are a little sore, but still—except for the dull stinging in his side. That was the hit he'd taken that effectively knocked him out from the pain, and after that Lance mentioned his head was covered in bruises and bumps, which explains the coma. He'd probably hit his head against the control panel when he blacked out. He's not completely one-hundred percent well yet. Even so, he does not want to stay in here any longer, so if Lance asks he'll have to lie and say he's feeling fine. He's going to go insane if he doesn't get out of here soon!

"You look restless," Lance observes, and with a flick of his fingers the screen disappears.

"I want to walk around. I hate being stuck in here," Keith states, locking eyes with the other Paladin. The staredown is intense, and not just from Keith's side. The black-haired boy almost looks away from the intensity of Lance's gaze, a clash of ocean blues and starry blacks. But eventually Lance closes his eyes and sighs, seemingly giving in.

"Alright. I'll take you outside, but only because you won't stop whining about it!"

Keith holds back the urge to cry out in triumph as Lance rises from his chair and helps him detach all the machinery that he's hooked up to. Despite his miraculous recovery, they're still needed to give him extra strength and fluids he needs.

When that's all done, Lance holds out his arms, a very smug look on his face. Keith wants to smack it off, hating that he has to rely so heavily on Lance just to get out of bed. But his eagerness to see the sky erases any of his shame and he grasps the taller's shoulders, heaving himself out from underneath the sheets. He wobbles for a moment, the world spinning around him, and Lance holds him steady. After a moment he exhales, not even remembering when he'd started to hold his breath. He gives a curt nod to Lance, who wraps an arm around his shoulder for support, and they hobble to the door.

As soon as they step outside the room, Keith puffs a sigh of relief. That room felt extremely stifling, and it feels so good to be out in the open again, even in this tiny hallway. Lance leads him in a different direction than usual, away from the bathrooms.

They are silent as they walk slowly down the hall, the only sounds coming from their feet tapping against the floor. Keith looks around and frowns, not missing a beat.

"Where is everyone?" He asks. He's already starting to feel exhaustion creeping in, but his excitement keeps him going.

"It's summer vacation, there's practically no one here right now," Lance explains.

Keith opens his mouth to respond but is cut off when they reach a corner. Lance turns left, Keith stumbling along with him, and they come face to face with a door. There's light shining in from the outside, and emotions crawl up and get caught in his throat when Lance opens it. They step out and are immediately bathed in sunlight.

They've emerged on a sort of platform overlooking the Garrison, the sun bleaching it white. The ground is hot against Keith's feet, and simultaneously he and Lance both look up. The sight nearly takes his breath away. Lance releases a noise of awe from beside him.

"We've seen a lot of different skies," Lance murmurs, and the heat from his arm makes Keith's chest glow with something akin to happiness. "But nothing compares to the one here on Earth."

Looking up at the vast expanse, Keith has to agree. White clouds dot the horizon, and the sky is a canvas covered in such deep shades of blue Keith feels like he may be engulfed by them. The sun shines down proudly, a blinding white ball that warms him to his core. He'd missed Earth's sky so much while he was away, finding himself longing for days that are clear and bright. Something quivers from deep within him and he closes his eyes, bathing underneath the azure heavens.

This moment, right here and now, feels so infinitely significant that he holds onto it for as long as he can. He memorizes the feeling of Lance's arm wrapped around his shoulder and the soft breathing coming from out of his nose. His eyes map out the hues of blue above, and he absorbs everything the world has to give, wanting to save this instant forever.

"It's so bright," he finally speaks, his eyes watering a little. Lance titters and smirks at him, his posture more relaxed than Keith has ever seen it. Had Lance been this emotional when he'd first woken up and taken in this sight again after the longest time?

"Don't stare at the sun for too long, otherwise your eyes will start to give out on you too," he jokes, giving Keith's shoulder a comforting squeeze. Lance understands, and Keith appreciates that more than he can say.

They watch the world go by for a couple minutes more, and Keith starts to feel drowsy from the summer heat. On top of his current state, that doesn't bode well for him. 

"You're shaking," Lance points out, looking worried. Keith releases a shuddering sigh, already feeling the effects of staying out too long.

"Let's go back inside, okay? Don't black out on me."

Lance guides him away from the platform, and Keith hesitates to tear his eyes away from the beauty in front of him. With a gentle tug, the taller teen opens the door and leads him in. As soon as the door shuts behind them Keith is panting and on his knees, visibly trembling. He's completely exhausted and he doesn't know if he can make it back to the room.

"Shit!" Lance kneels down next to him, biting on his lip. "I knew I should have waited—are you okay? Can you stand?"

Keith shakes his head no, his breathing harsh. He grips onto Lance's arm, quaking. The edges of his vision are going black again, the world swimming in front of his eyes.

"Alright, alright, just hang in there," and Lance shifts around him, maneuvering until he's crouched down, his back to Keith.

"Hop on. I'll carry you back this way."

Too tired to complain, Keith leans forward and practically collapses onto the Blue Paladin's back. Lance grunts and stands up. He tightens his hold on Keith's thighs and makes a sound of concern.

"Christ, you're really light. You need to eat and gain some weight, skinny twig."

Keith huffs into Lance's hair, the only form of reply he can give, and Lance starts to walk. Keith closes his eyes and takes in the teen's scent; he smells like the ocean and rich vanilla. A familiar and comforting feeling washes over him. He feels safer than he has in a long time, and while it seems a little foreign, he doesn't hate it. There's no more expectations hanging over their heads, no more pressure, no more waking up at three in the morning to go on some emergency mission. But that also means there's no more training sessions, no more space rides and...no more team Voltron.

What are they going to do now that Zarkon is gone and his empire collapsed? Live out the rest of their lives in peace, only go out to save the universe when it's needed? He knows not everyone is willing to give up what they have to spend years fighting and saving others. Pidge has a family, and so does Lance, and Hunk and Shiro; they all have responsibilities. Allura and Coran certainly don't want to spend eternity saving the universe either, he knows that. So is this the end? After he recovers, will he part ways with Lance forever? The thought makes his heart ache, a fierce burning deep inside that says he couldn't bear that. He clings tighter to Lance's back, not wanting to let go. He doesn't want to let go of him, or of Voltron, or of his teammates. They're all he has. What will he do without them? Go back to living in a shack, questioning his existence?

"Down you go."

With a jolt he realizes they've returned to the room. Before he might have started to throw a fit if he had to see the navy blue blankets of the bed one more time, but now they are the most inviting looking thing he's ever laid eyes on. Lance sets him down easy and Keith sinks into the mattress with a grateful sigh. He wants to sleep now, more than anything.

Laughter fills his ears and he growls, wondering just what is so funny.

"You're like a limp noodle," Lance snickers, going around to tuck him in. Keith bares his teeth at him but doesn't say anything more.

"Sorry, sorry! Go to sleep, okay? If you keep working I'm sure you'll start to build up your strength more. I promise if you're doing better in a week I'll take you to the town nearby."

The bribe works wonders for Keith immediately rolls over and curls up, his head nestling against the pillow. A town? Near the Garrison? He doesn't remember something like that, but then again he'd never traveled that far out to begin with.

"That was easy," Lance whispers, chuckling. Keith ignores it and pulls the blanket over his head.

The last thing on his mind before he falls asleep is the image of the sky he'd witnessed earlier, nearly as crisp and vibrant as he'd first seen it. 


	3. Paladin of Concern

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's chapter three! Sorry it took a while to update (though four days between chapters is a RECORD for me)! I just finished writing chapter four and it's really long, so yeah c: Should be nice when I post it here, it's definitely my favorite chapter so far!
> 
> Anyway, I'd just like to say thank you again!! To all of you who have supported this AU here and on tumblr. In the 1-2 weeks I've had it up:  
> I've gained around 400 new followers and counting,  
> someone wants to cosplay a design I made for Lance for this AU,  
> this story has gotten so many hits and kudos and that's awesome,  
> and just yesterday I met someone on my campus who's been following the AU for a while! She was shocked to actually meet me in person, and I was really happy to be able to meet someone irl who knew about the AU ;w;
> 
> So yeah. I'm blown away...and I cannot say thank you enough! I hope this chapter is to your liking, it's my way of saying thanks!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Roll the chappy!

"Rise and shine!"

Lance's sing-song voice cuts right into his dreamless sleep, and with a flinch he's dragged unwillingly into consciousness. He's cocooned himself inside the blankets, surrounded by a nest of warmth. And of course, Lance rips the sheets right out from over his head, leaving him feeling cold and naked.

"No," he whines, reaching over to reclaim the blankets and possibly his sleep, but Lance slaps his hand away.

"Don't go back to sleep! I took the liberty to make you breakfast myself since the cooks are on break right now." Lance plops down at the edge of the bed and hands him a tray. Keith almost expects some monstrous creature to leap out at him, but instead he's surprised to see a plate full of bacon, eggs and french toast. The scent that is coming off of it in waves has his mouth watering.

"You made this?" He asks, genuinely curious. Lance snorts and crosses his arms with an arrogant huff.

"Of course I did! What, you doubt my cooking skills?"

Keith pops a piece of bacon into his mouth and chews. He has to hold himself back from moaning in approval and further fueling Lance's ego. It's good.

"Honestly? Yes."

Lance playfully punches his shoulder and he laughs, kicking the Blue Paladin in the side as payback.

"I grew up in a house with lots of siblings, I had to learn how to cook sometime," the brunette offers as explanation. He leans back on his hands and stares at the ceiling, lips pursed in thought.

Keith nods and continues to chow down. He's eating so fast that he barely has any time to savor it, but he's so hungry he can't even think straight. All he's had over the past week is "light" food that won't upset his stomach, and he's grateful that today's meal is different. The pair sit in silence for several moments as he eats, the air between them comfortable. Lance locks eyes with him and he raises an eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.

"So, are you ready?"

The black-haired boy swallows his mouthful and regards the other curiously.

"Ready...for what?"

Lance laughs and smiles, a bright one that may or may not have made his heart beat a little faster.

"To go to into town, of course."

Keith almost drops his fork, the tray sliding down his lap. "W—wait a minute, it hasn't even been a week yet! I thought you said—"

"I did say a week, but that's only because that's how long I thought it would take for you to get better," Lance interjects, nabbing a piece of bacon off his plate. Keith flicks his arm as he passes, and the teen sticks his tongue out at him.

"You've noticed too, right? That you've been feeling a lot better over the past few days. I don't know if that's because you're part Galra—do...do they heal faster than humans? Ah, whatever! But anyway, I think you're well enough to take a little trip. Besides, you're getting really irritable. I don't know how much longer I can take your abuse—ouch! Hey, that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Lance whines as Keith pulls his fist back and glares at him.

"Alright," he gruffs, grabbing the glass of orange juice and downing it. He licks his lips afterward, smacking them in satisfaction. Lance tilts his head at him, eyes wide. "When are we going?"

Whatever seems to be bothering Lance vanishes as he shakes his head a little. "As soon as you get ready," he affirms.

"Okay. I'm ready," Keith says right away, eager to leave. He can't wait to see something else besides the dull brown walls and gray machinery of the medical wing.

Lance snorts and takes his tray away, giving a little pout at the empty plate. If he was hoping for leftovers, he's out of luck. He turns to look at the Red Paladin, examining his topless form and disheveled hair.

"You're not going out like _that_ , are you?"

Keith looks down at himself and grimaces; he's still covered in bandages and he looks worse for wear. Okay, maybe he could afford to put a shirt on. And some shoes.

Lance rolls his eyes fondly, striding towards the door with Keith's dishes.

"I'm going to go take these back down, you'd better be ready by the time I get back up here or I'm leaving without you!" And with that he escapes the room before Keith can yell at him, his laughter ringing down the hall.

Keith shakes his head in exasperation before pulling himself out of bed. He can stand on his own without support now, which is great. He can't do it for too long though, finding the need to sit down and rest after ten minutes or so, but it's definitely better than throwing all of his weight onto Lance. He appreciates the teen's help but his personality demands that he needs to be more independent. He's a loner, he always has been. Well...maybe that's not so true anymore. After being a part of a team for a while he finds that being alone is, well...lonely. He likes being around them, even though he doesn't speak often. The atmosphere around the Paladins is energetic, and it's contagious. He always finds himself smiling whenever he's with them.

He grabs a shirt that sits on top of one of the monitors, a dark blue one that Lance had washed after a particularly exhausting walk around the Garrison, and throws it over his head. He slides on a pair of old converse and taps his toes against the floor, making sure they fit. With an enormous yawn, he stretches his back and arms. The feeling is refreshing. He'd told Lance a day or two ago that he still felt out of sorts, almost like he was there but he wasn't. Lance had shrugged and told him it could be the effects of the medicine or even his injury, and that it would wear off eventually—otherwise he'd just have to get used to it.

Keith stares at the door, dazed, and waits for Lance to come back. He stands there for quite a while, his mind drifting off, briefly noting how many ticks have passed since the energetic boy left. It's funny how he doesn't measure time in seconds anymore, so used to following the Alteans way of counting. Allura had drilled that into their heads quite quickly. He truthfully doesn't even remember how seconds work; he knows that they're faster than ticks, but that's about it.

Suddenly the door bursts open and Lance staggers in, out of breath. Keith jumps back a little, surprised. He can feel the shock of Lance's appearance thudding in his ears, his heart rate accelerating.

"Whew!" Lance puffs, patting down his jacket. "Sorry about the wait, I had to get our transportation ready."

"Transportation?" The raven repeats dumbly, still not quite fully aware. His brain is slow from waking up not too long before.

"Yeah! Come on," and Lance takes his hand and drags him out of the room, giving him a quick look-over before they start hurrying down the hallway.

Keith stumbles in his attempt to keep up with Lance. The taller teen is walking way too fast, and Keith is still regaining his strength, so he pants as he lapses into a light jog.

"What's the rush?" He wheezes, already out of breath. Lance glances back and curses under his breath, slowing down to a more easy-paced stride to accommodate him.

"Sorry," he apologizes sincerely. "Actually, there's a tour going on downstairs right now. I guess more people want to attend the school now since they've heard that we did once. I wanted to get out of here before they see us."

"Oh," Keith blinks. When had news of their escapades broken out on Earth? Were they that famous that people were coming to the Garrison just to catch a glimpse of them?

Lance considers him thoughtfully, a certain gleam in his eye.

"Your hair is a mess," he finally says, and before Keith can bark at him for the insult he reaches over and runs his fingers through it, untangling the strands. Keith feels his back go rigid, a warmth blooming in his cheeks, and holds his breath. Lance is concentrating quite intensely, his sharp ocean eyes making Keith's legs start to tremble.

Right before he completely melts into a puddle in front of the Blue Paladin, Lance pulls back with a satisfied nod and a chipper "That's better!" before promptly turning around and marching down the hall again.

Keith has to tell himself repeatedly to start moving his legs, his mouth agape as he watches Lance skip cheerfully a ways ahead. For some reason his body refuses to move. Seriously, what was that about? He'd never felt so weak and helpless than he did in that moment. Lance had never had an effect on him like this before. Maybe it's because he's acting so nice?

Keith frowns and finally starts to walk, still shaking. He blames that on exhaustion, not because Lance had been so close, his breath sweet and minty. Yes, the only reason he's reacting this way is because Lance is taking pity on him and being kind. Soon enough they'll be back to their old bickering ways, finding excuses to turn anything into a competition between them. That's how it's always been, and that's how it always will be. As soon as Keith is better Lance will stop feeling bad for him and they'll move on with their lives. Totally. Definitely!

"Do you need me to slow down?" The aforementioned boy's voice calls from the other end of the hall, and Keith quickens his pace until he finally catches up. Lance gives him a worried look, to which he shakes his head dismissively.

"Well, alright. If you start to feel tired just tell me, okay? I do _not_ want to haul your unconscious ass halfway across the desert later," he teases lightly. Keith smiles a little, and they finally reach their destination.

Lance holds the door open for him, and Keith steps outside. The air is hot and sticky, and the sun beats down upon them from the clear blue sky. Well, at least it's not raining. Though at this rate, Keith knows he'll be wishing for rain later. A breeze picks up and ruffles his hair, promising a windy and refreshing afternoon in town.

"There it is." Lance points, and Keith follows his finger to land on a very familiar-looking vehicle.

Against his wishes, a grin creeps up on his face. "Is that—"

"The very same one," Lance nods, and they approach it together.

Sitting in front of them, awaiting a driver, is the hovercraft Keith had used to assist in Shiro's getaway nearly a year ago. He fondly remembers how the rest of Team Voltron had hitched a ride, and they'd narrowly escaped being caught by Garrison officials. The fact that it's here now is almost ironic.

"How is this even here? I thought I left it back at the shack," Keith questions, a little bit in awe. Had Lance brought it all the way here for him? The idea makes something flutter in the pit of his stomach, a happy feeling.

"Eh, let's just say the officials here "recovered" it after we left Earth." Lance shrugs casually.

That makes much more sense now that he thinks about it. But why had they kept it all this time? As a memento? He can't be sure, and the more he ponders over it he realizes it doesn't really matter either way.

"Good sir," Lance makes an exaggerated bow and holds out a hand to the vehicle. "Your ride awaits."

"Please, spare me," Keith chuckles and takes a seat up front, his hands already working the controls. Lance tsks at him and shoves him back, sliding neatly into his seat and taking his spot.

"Lance!" Keith exclaims furiously, smacking him upside the head.

"Ow—fuck! Stop hitting me!" The brunette cries out. He rubs his head and glares back at Keith, who is steaming from anger. "Look, I'm driving whether you want me to or not! I am not risking you passing out and crashing headfirst into the sand! Then we'll both be injured!"

"Why do you keep saying that? "Don't pass out on me!" I'm fine, okay?! I can handle myself!" Keith snarls. He might be getting a little defensive, but he has every reason to!

"No, you're not! Keith—" Lance cuts himself off. He takes a deep breath, his voice getting caught up in his throat.

"I'm...I'm worried about you, alright?" He admits, his voice cracking.

Keith already has a rebuttal on his tongue, but he snaps his mouth shut upon hearing those words. Lance looks away from him, his eyebrows drawn together.

"You were asleep for three weeks. I...I was afraid you weren't ever gonna wake up." His tone is quiet, soft, and more vulnerable than Keith has ever heard it. "I've never seen you that injured before. At first, we weren't even sure if you were gonna make it," he meets Keith's eyes, and the raven inhales sharply at the raw emotion gleaming in them.

"I know you can take care of yourself, you've proven that. But you haven't gotten to this point before—leaving the Garrison and going out on a trip, I mean. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard. You're still recovering, Keith. Just...let me handle this, okay?"

Keith can tell how serious about this he is, and he immediately feels guilty. He had no idea his injury had been that bad...sure, it still hurts now, but apparently it had been much, much worse a month ago. He wonders how awful it must have been for the rest of the team, waiting, just waiting for him to come back to them. He puts himself in Lance's shoes then. How would he feel if Lance or any other member had gotten seriously harmed with a chance of never waking again? The thought is devastating. Shame rises up and makes his cheeks burn along with the heat of the sun. Here he goes again, acting like a clueless moron and hurting Lance's feelings. He feels like an enormous jerk.

Lance is honestly concerned for him...the thought makes his heart glow. He's grateful that the other Paladin hasn't abandoned him yet. What can he say to make it up to him...

"Lance," he starts, twiddling his thumbs. Keith isn't used to apologizing. Usually he just tells people to suck it up. "I...I'm really sorry. For making you worry. And thanks...for looking out for me."

It's a pathetic excuse for an apology, short and blunt like his words usually are, but Lance accepts them, a pleased smile brightening his melancholy mood in an instant. Keith decides then that he never wants to see Lance make that sort of pained face again. He's better suited for smiling. It looks best on him.

"It's okay," he answers, his eyes twinkling. "But you owe me for this. You're buying lunch for us today."

And with that he starts the engine, turning to face the front. Keith peers around his shoulder, frowning.

"But I don't have any money," he calls over the humming of the machine. He'd left all of his earnings back at the castle, and unless Lance had grabbed it for him it's probably still in his room.

"Guess you have to pay me back later, then. Hold on!"

They start to move, and Keith gasps out in surprise, his hands instinctively moving to grasp at Lance's hips. An unwanted flush turns the tips of his ears pink, but it's too late to let go now.

Lance releases a joyful caterwaul, and together they speed off into the desert, leaving trails of dust in their wake.


	4. Afternoon Delight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow way to go with that cliche chapter title me (Lol I couldn't think of anything good)
> 
> Whew! Finally back! Though it wasn't too bad of a break in between chapters, haha. Sorry it took a little longer than I thought, this chapter is longer than the rest so yeah. I can feel myself slipping out of my Voltron phase, so it's going to take me longer to write chapters now. //sighs Sorry, there isn't much I can do about it. But I'll try my best!
> 
> And holy wow you guys, thanks so much again for all the kudos and comments! This story is almost at 100 kudos and I am. Shocked. Pleased and shocked. I promise one of these days I'll actually answer people's comments lol //shot
> 
> So yeah chapter four! This is one of my favorites so far tbh, though six is also gonna be a great one. I have many plans for six. //rubs hands together
> 
> In the meantime I'm starting to write a Mawaru Penguindrum oneshot, who knows if I'll actually finish it lmfao but I've recently been rewatching the series and my love for Shoma has grown even more than the last time I watched it...what a pretty boy, I hate him? If that ever gets posted here, we'll see, it's gonna be super fluffy and cute and yes it's KanSho fluff because I adore KanSho and they deserve happiness for all the shit they go through  
> ANYWAY
> 
> Okay, enough of me blabbering! Hope you guys like this one, it's fun c: Roll the chappy!

The sun refuses to give them one shred of mercy as they zoom along, the rays soaking into Keith's dark shirt. It sticks to him and makes it feel like a second skin. They've been driving for nearly twenty dobashes now, and while the wind is refreshing they still can't seem to shake the sun off their backs.

Lance had gone into tons of crazy swerves and tricks when they first began, leaving Keith screaming and holding on to him for dear life. His fingertips dig a little into Lance's hips at the memory, his cheeks a bright pink; he'd clung to the other teen so tightly that he could feel Lance's laughter rumble in his chest, sending vibrations all over his body. And Keith, who had his nose buried into the back of Lance's neck at the time, couldn't quite tell if the engine or Lance was rumbling more. Now normally he could handle something like that, seeing as he and Red do more insane acrobatics on a daily basis. But for some reason the fact that it was Lance and that they weren't inside their lions had Keith's heart up by his throat and his stomach doing flips.

Now Lance is calm and composed, an easygoing smile on his face despite the sweltering heat. There's a pair of goggles over his eyes to protect him from the sand—where he pulled those out from, Keith has no idea—and his short hair whips in the wind. It's fascinating to see him really get into the piloting mode this way. Sure, Lance had fantastically failed the flight simulators at the Garrison, and he may have had a pretty rocky start when he was first working with Blue but in truth, he's a great pilot and knows what he's doing. Apparently this translates to other vehicles too, seeing as he's driving the hovercraft with ease. If Keith hadn't dropped out he's sure he and Lance would have had a fierce rivalry over piloting (not that they don't now, but still).

Keith can't help but wonder how different their lives would be if he'd stayed at the Garrison. Would he and Lance have become friends there too? Or would they both have refused to look past their competitive natures to realize how similar they are? This question will always remain unanswered, but Keith has a feeling that he and Lance would probably have become friends either way. Their relationship is a mix between friendly teasing and going head to head, attracted and repelling each other like magnets. How typical.

"There it is!"

Lance's voice calls back to him and he peeks around the taller's shoulder, blinking the sand out of his eyes. In the distance there's a small cropping of buildings popping into view, looking like quivering blocks against the simmering heat waves.

Excitement builds up in the pit of his stomach. He'd never been to this town before, despite it being so close to the Garrison. He always went for supply runs elsewhere, otherwise keeping pretty much to himself after he was kicked out, never exploring.

Another thing that stirs him is his thirst. Sitting under the summer sky for so long has him craving a nice glass of fruit juice or a soda. He also hopes that when they get there they'll grab a bite to eat. His breakfast of eggs and bacon seems like a lifetime ago, and since he's recovering his appetite is twice as large as usual. His stomach growls at the thought of a meal. He chuckles to himself, thinking of Hunk. Hunk was always hungry, and now Keith feels like he can relate.

Part of him wonders how the Yellow Paladin is doing. According to Lance, he'd went with Pidge to try and find her family. Now that Zarkon's empire has collapsed and Shiro is clearing out any resistance, it shouldn't be that hard, right? He worries for the both of them, hoping that they're doing okay. Even so, he knows deep down they're fine; Pidge is the smartest person he knows and is able to wriggle herself out of any tough situation, and while Hunk is a little meek he can be counted on in times of need. Maybe he can see them again soon once their mission is complete.

Before long the town rushes up to greet them, and Lance begins to slow down. Sand flies in all directions as he turns sideways and skids right in, and Keith closes his eyes, spitting it out of his mouth. Girlish laughter erupts from nearby and Keith looks over to see a group of girls watching them. Lance neatly comes to a stop and turns off the engine, sending a cheerful smile and wave to the ladies. They blush and giggle louder, shyly waving back. Keith withholds an annoyed groan. Knowing Lance he'll ditch Keith to go spend an afternoon with pretty girls instead of him. He can't believe—

Lance hops off of the hovercraft and offers him a hand, his goggles pushed back on his forehead and his hair windswept. Keith hates to admit it but he looks good, charming grin and sun-blotched cheeks and all. The shorter teen reluctantly takes his hand and Lance helps him down, his legs wobbling as he lands.

As he situates his hair and clothing, making sure everything is in check, Lance circles him a couple times. His eyes flicker repeatedly over him, observing. Keith withholds snapping at him for doing so, knowing that he's just checking up on him, unable to mask the concern that sparks in his eyes. Well, at least he's getting more attention than the girls, who are standing less than twenty feet away. Their faces are alight with fascination.

"O—kay," Lance claps his hands together, sending him a goofy smile. Apparently he's satisfied with Keith's current health. "We're here! Do you want some lunch? Personally, I'm starving."

Keith is almost shocked that Lance hadn't run off to flirt when the temptation is right there. Instead he completely ignores his small crowd of fans and takes ahold of Keith's arm, marching off into town. The black-haired boy stumbles beside him but regains his pace.

"Aren't you...aren't you going to—" He cuts himself off, embarrassed. Asking him such a straightforward question is awkward.

"Going to what?" Lance asks, clueless. Well, if he has no idea what Keith is talking about, he won't say anything. He'd rather have Lance's attention than him giving it to a bunch of squealing girls.

Not that he's jealous or anything, he isn't! Keith just doesn't understand Lance's constant need to preen and show off. Lance is always the center of attention, no matter where he goes, while Keith just prefers to stick to the edges of the crowd, silent and watching. Keith always feels overwhelmed and pressured when he's surrounded by people, but Lance glows under their attention, showering in their praise. It's a part of who he is, Keith knows that. But why does he always put so much effort into flirting with girls when it's never going to get him anywhere? He doesn't have time for them, he's a Voltron Paladin. He can't afford to waste time focusing on flaky relationships when he's a defender of the universe. And of course, it's that status that brings him even more notice, people flocking to him. Keith just can't wrap his head around why he does it.

"You're so  _ moody _ ," Lance whines. "What's up? Do you want to go back?"

Keith immediately shakes his head no. That's right. Today is his day, and the only person Lance is focusing on right now is him. He needs to enjoy this while he can, needs to take all of Lance's consideration before it's too late.

Lance shrugs and continues his stride, and Keith walks more slowly behind him, actually taking a tick to look over the town.

It's very quaint and homey-feeling, with neat little rows of buildings and tons of shops set up along the road. People walk to and fro, their conversations light, seeming completely at ease. It's so strange to come into a town that isn't being attacked or threatened by the Galra, and Keith is relieved that Earth had never been touched by them. He passes by a stand with flowers and inhales their sweet scent, smiling softly. At least here he knows that they won't transform into a hideous space fly trap and try to eat him alive. It's almost funny how harmless his home planet seems compared to the millions of others out there.

"What are you doing? Hurry up! I want food!" Lance complains, already ten paces ahead. Keith kicks up dirt as he dashes over, his heart feeling lighter than it has in a long time. He's in a good mood. The town's gentle atmosphere has him feeling relaxed.

Lance seems to notice his change and quirks an eyebrow, but doesn't comment on it before he casually approaches a food stand and starts haggling for a meal. Keith watches him with a fond smile, rolling his eyes when Lance pulls out the "savior of the universe" card. Surprisingly, it works. The old woman working the stand chuckles before handing him a bag of fruit, and Lance cheers before skipping back over to him.

"She says thanks," and he puffs out his chest proudly, a confident smirk pulling up the corners of his mouth.

Keith shakes his head at him, sighing exasperatedly, before reaching into the bag and pulling out an apple. He takes a savory bite into it, blinking when he's greeted with a weak flavor, and gazes at it, confused.

Lance is munching on a mango when he glances over. "What's wrong? Does it taste bad?"

"No," and Keith takes another bite, his tongue prodding over the fruit. "It tastes...really bland."

"Yeah?" And without warning, Lance leans over and grabs a hold of his hand, bringing it up to his mouth to take a small munch out of the side of the apple. Keith sputters and whips back, ears turning pink.

"Mmnh," he chews thoughtfully, rolling the taste around in his mouth. "Tastes pretty good to me! Sweet but a little tangy. Is this a honeycrisp?"

"L-Lance!" Keith squeaks, embarrassed. He quickly surveys the area to see if anyone had witnessed that, breathing out a sigh of relief when people pass by as if nothing had happened. He whips back around to Lance, who has resumed eating his mango, and smacks his arm.

"Ow! Seriously, when are you going to sto—"

"You can't just...just  _ do _ that!" Keith articulates this with a wild wave of his arm, cursing the heat prickling under his skin.

"What? Why not?" Keith resists the urge to smack his own forehead, groaning under his breath. Clearly Lance does not know the meaning of personal space. Or  _ boundaries _ .

"B...because!" His mouth refuses to work with his brain and he ends up just stammering, face beet red. He feels like an idiot, standing here and attempting to lecture Lance.

"Alright, alright, chill," Lance waves a hand at him, attitude cool. "What's the deal with that, anyway? You not being able to taste it?"

Keith has to ask himself that question. Why indeed? Perhaps it has something to do with his injury, his brain still not functioning correctly. Maybe there's a disconnection between his tastebuds and his brain and it only works sometimes...something ridiculous like that.  Ah, well! It doesn't really matter, and Lance has finished his mango and is peering around, so clearly it's time to move on.

"So," Lance slides his hands into his pockets, his pose laid-back. He looks like a model, standing there with his goggles and spiked-up hair and olive skin and stupid, pretty eyes—

"Do you just wanna...walk around for a while?"

Keith coughs into his hand and looks away, mentally kicking himself. What on earth is his deal today?

The taller teen leans over, blinking. "Keith?"

"Y—yeah! Yeah. Yes," he manages to get out, wheezing.  _ Keep it together, Kogane _ , he growls inwardly. He's supposed to be showing Lance how well he's recovering, not making a fool out of himself. That's why they came here in the first place.  _ Play it cool. _

He points down the pathway where it opens into a larger clearing, a clever attempt to distract Lance from his strange behavior. "What's over there?"

Lance follows his gaze, eyebrows drawing together. "I dunno. Let's go check it out!"

And so they begin to walk again, darting in between passersby and hiding in the shade as often as they can. Just because they've made it into town doesn't mean they can avoid the sun's wrath, and Keith would prefer to stay cool instead of burning to a crisp.

Along the way they stop at a couple more food stands, Lance not having his fill just yet. They laugh and make lighthearted conversation, and Keith soon realizes that they haven't had a real argument once for quite some time. Back at the castle he got into spats with the Blue Paladin almost on a daily basis, and while that was nice sometimes (Lance was always someone Keith could take his frustrations out on, and vice versa, a beneficial competition), this feels even better. Just casually talking to Lance, watching his eyes light up and a smile grace his lips, is a hundred times more satisfying than watching him yell and pout after a disagreement (though Keith doesn't mind that, either; it's fun to get Lance riled up).

By the time they reach the center square Keith is full and feeling drowsily content. He isn't sure if it's him or the sun that makes him feel sleepy, but either way Lance notices and drags him over to a bench to sit down. It's under an overhang that protects them from the heat, and Keith sighs as he relaxes under the shade.

Lance pokes his cheek, and Keith half-heartedly batters his hand away. He isn't in the mood to get annoyed over something like this.

"Your cheeks are bright red." The comment is soft and full of amusement.

The black-haired teen puffs out a breath. "I've always burned easily. We didn't put on sunblock before we left..."

Lance laughs and folds his arms behind his head, looking up at the clear blue sky. It's still as beautiful and bright as ever.

"Yeah, well. I guess we're just so used to having our protective suits and helmets on that we really didn't think about it."

And Lance is right. Those suits shielded them from almost any sort of radiation or otherworldly poison. It's a little weird to be without them. Honestly, it's weird to be here, back on Earth, after what feels like forever. Keith longs to see the twinkling backdrop of space again, a different kind of homesickness taking over him. He wonders if Lance feels that way, too. He knew that while away in space Lance had been extremely homesick for Earth. How did Lance's family take him being gone for the better part of a year? Keith has no family to worry about his absence, but Lance's family spans generations, with tons of siblings and cousins and uncles and aunts. A small part of him hopes that he'll be able to meet them someday. With someone as energetic and unique as Lance part of their family, Keith is sure the rest of the Mcclains are just as interesting.

"Hey, look," Lance gestures to a couple of kids several yards away, their voices high with excitement as they kick a ball around. Lance watches them and chuckles, memories swimming in his eyes, and Keith speculates about what he's reminiscing.

"I used to play games like that with my siblings all the time when I was younger," he whispers, eyes soft.

Keith rests his head in his palms, his elbows propping up on his knees, and gives the brunette a sidelong glance.

"Do you miss them?"

Lance laughs quietly, "All the time. But that's natural, you know? I miss all of my family. But...our team is also family now. I guess since they're not here at the moment, I'm missing them a little too," and he looks straight at Keith. The warmth and raw affection in his gaze makes Keith absolutely breathless.

"The only person I'm not missing now is you, because you're right here with me."

Keith inhales sharply, feeling emotions rise up and nearly choke him. "Lance..."

Whatever moment they're having is rudely interrupted when a loud crash sounds from nearby. Keith snaps his head towards the noise so quickly his head whirls and he feels dizzy. The way Lance was looking at him, talking to him...it made him feel tingly all over. But not in a bad way.

Just what is Lance to him? He can't really ponder more over the thought, because the children nearby are suddenly scattering in all directions, clearing out and leaving the square nearly empty. He releases a small sound of confusion, but his unspoken questions are answered when a man bursts out from a restaurant nearby, his face taut and red from anger.

"Alright, which one of you hooligans broke my window?!" And he jabs a trembling finger at the shattered glass, and suddenly Keith understands. The kids had accidentally sent the ball right through the windowpane and had all ran off in fear.

"Was it you two?! You look suspicious!" He stomps over to them, lips drawn back in a ferocious snarl. Lance stands up and moves in front of Keith, sliding his hands into his pockets. He's trying to appear friendly and non-threatening.

"It wasn't us, sir. There were a couple of kids here earlier and they kicked the ball through the window. I saw it myself," he offers as explanation, smiling kindly. The owner shakes his head, clearly frustrated. He takes another step forward and Lance mirrors him, shifting so that he's even more in front of Keith.

Something strange flutters in his stomach when he realizes; Lance is shielding him. Normally he'd be mad, probably thinking that he doesn't need Lance's protection. But today has been a weird day and for some reason he knows that Lance is genuinely trying to keep him away from this seemingly dangerous man, and he appreciates it.

He's not going to let Lance do all of the protecting, though.

"As if I'll believe that excuse! You two are in big trouble!" The man rages, looking so ugly and blotchy under the summer sun. He continues to march forward. Lance tenses, an arm darting out to the side as a gesture of defense, and Keith takes a chance.

He leaps up and takes ahold of Lance's wrist, shouting a "Let's go!" before promptly dashing off, unable to help himself as laughter bursts out of his mouth. The man is screaming profanities behind them and is threatening to shoot their heads off, but he keeps running, feeling lighter than air. Lance cackles from behind him, surprised yet also impressed.

Their footsteps thud against the sandy ground as they race along. He can hear children's laughter and the sound of bells chiming and Lance's excited whoops, and part of him wonders if it's all a dream because he's honestly never felt this happy and exhilarated before in his life. He's here with somebody so important, and they're enjoying each other's company and spending time together. Whether it be outrunning an angry restaurant owner or a fleet of Galra battleships, they've always had fun together like this, and he never wants it to end.

Sooner or later they come to a stop when Keith's adrenaline wears off, and he hunches over, exhausted. He's done plenty of laps around the Garrison but he hasn't attempted a full-on sprint like that since he woke up. He's feeling the effects of his decision now, and it attacks his lungs and sides with a painful burning. He crouches down and breathes in shakily, gasping for air.

Lance is still giggling deliriously next to him, but he sobers up immediately on seeing the state Keith is in.

"Shit. Shit!" He gets on his knees next to the raven and frets, hands hovering over his back.

"Fuck—Keith, are you okay? Are you—oh my god. Breathe, alright? Just breathe. Stay with me, buddy."

And Keith nods, thinking for a split second just how overdramatic Lance is being. Then again catching his breath is nearly impossible and he can't stop shaking and he's paler than a ghost, so maybe Lance is within reason to freak out like he is.

"You're okay, you're okay," Lance whispers, stroking his back. It feels really nice. "Don't go anywhere, I'm right here. Keith..."

Finally the world stops dancing in front of his eyes and he exhales, managing to get himself back under control. Lance picks up on this and sighs heavily.

"Jesus," he breathes, head coming to rest on Keith's shoulder. "Gave me a heart attack. Don't do that!"

"S...sorry," he says meekly. Lance is very warm, and so is Keith, and is it strange that he really wants a can of cherry soda right now?

"That was insane," Lance laughs, nosing Keith's arm. "That fat geezer was really annoying though, wasn't he? No wonder you wanted to get away."

"Aw, Lance, were you scared?" Keith teases, unconsciously leaning into his touch. They've faced enemies a thousand times more terrifying than that old guy, so it wouldn't make sense for Lance to be intimidated by him.

Lance makes an offended noise against his shoulder.

"Of course I was, you idiot! I didn't expect you to suddenly keel over and look like you were gonna die!"

_ Oh _ . Keith flushes a little, slightly embarrassed. Had Lance really been that worried?

"I'm sorry," he repeats, nuzzling a little against Lance's hair. The brunette smirks and nudges him back.

"It's okay. Just don't do that again!"

Keith nods and takes a moment to look around. They're in a back alley between several buildings, hunched down underneath their shadows. Every now and then someone walks by, not paying them any mind. It's quiet and serene and the air here feels nice and cool, so much that Keith breathes it in through his lungs. It soothes the burning in his chest and his sides, but it doesn't chase away his exhaustion.

Lance finally removes himself from Keith's shoulder and stands up, stretching a little.

"Alright, I think we've had enough adventure for one day. Do you want to head back?" He tilts his head down at Keith, who is having a hard time moving.

Silence settles between them for several ticks, and Keith puffs out an embarrassed breath.

"I, um," he stammers a little before trying again, "I can't...stand up."

"Oh," the taller teen responds. Then it actually registers in his brain and he squeaks, "Oh!"

"Okay, then, hold on—"

He crouches down, back to him, and Keith is immediately reminded of that scene from not too long ago, back when he'd first seen the sky. Lance wiggles his fingers and glances back at him, grinning.

"Come on now, tough guy. I'll escort you back!" His voice is teasing yet gentle, and Keith rolls his eyes before throwing his weight onto Lance's back.

"Upsy daisy!" Lance swings them both up and Keith laughs, loosely locking his arms around the teen's neck and nuzzling into his back. He whirs softly and relaxes, pressing his cheek against Lance's shoulders.

Lance starts walking them back through town, humming something off-tune and frankly mismatched. His voice is lulling and the sun is shining and Keith finds he can't keep his eyes open anymore. Fatigue creeps in and he drifts off, his grip slackening.

Lance pauses and shifts his weight around, chuckling when he realizes Keith had fallen asleep on him.

"So much for me  _ not _ dragging your unconscious ass halfway across the desert," he snorts.

As he approaches the hovercraft, he smiles softly and gives Keith's thighs a little squeeze.

"Sleep tight." He whispers.


	5. Rollercoaster Through the Atmosphere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaah you guys I'm really sorry I haven't updated in like a month;; and this chapter has been done for that long, honestly I probably should have posted it right away but. I'm stubborn like that ;D (If I don't update in that long again you can come yell at me. It's okay. It'll remind me to keep writing.)  
> Chapter 6 is finished! And it's probably my favorite so far, and one of the chapters I was looking forward to writing the most. I'm really excited for it...so I hope you all enjoy it when it's posted!
> 
> Anyway. This chapter. We get to see more of Keith denying that he's totally in love with Lance lmfao. This is gonna go on for a whiiiiile. Silly boy. //shakes head
> 
> I probably have more things to say but I can't remember them lol, so I guess I'll leave by saying thanks! For all of your support--kudos, comments, follows, etc! I really appreciate it, as always!
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Roll the chappy!

Someone is crying.

He doesn't know how he knows, but he _knows_. All of the voices around him are muffled, sounding like they're coming through a thick wall. They're too indiscernible to make out exactly what is being said, so all Keith can do is listen and wonder. Everything is pitch black and for some reason he can't seem to open his eyes, which frustrates him.

Something taps his cheek, the touch so light and so gentle that it's nearly heartbreaking. They trace their fingers up to his hairline and smooth his bangs back, caressing. This presence...it's familiar, and safe, and Keith knows he can trust it. But he can't exactly put his finger on who it is. He desperately wants to find out, in any way he can.

"I'm sorry."

The voice is clearer now, and that feeling of familiarity washes over him again like a tidal wave, but he still can't make his brain connect the dots. The voice remains unidentifiable, Keith unable to match a face to it.

Their fingers tremble and draw away, breath hitching in their throat. They're trying so hard to hold back their tears.

"I'm...I'm s-so sorry, Keith."

They know his name! They must be somebody close to him...or perhaps they were close to him, once. The thought that this person, who seems to care so much for him, may not be part of this world any longer is devastating.

They choke on a sob. Keith wants to hold them, to comfort them and tell them it will be okay. But still he cannot move, only being allowed to listen.

"I'm sor—" They break off into soft wails. Keith's heart aches something fierce.

_Don't cry, don't cry._

"K-Keith...I—"

Suddenly static erupts in his ears and the rest of their sentence is drowned out. Keith opens his mouth to scream, feeling himself falling into nothingness.

"Keith!"

A gasp leaps out of his throat and he startles awake, hands grabbing at sheets and tightening into fists. There's a ringing in his head, and it sounds like there's a bell bouncing around inside of his skull. A face pops into his periphery, their mouth moving but no noise coming out.

Eventually the ringing fades and when his ears feel like they're no longer stuffed with cotton, he realizes the face is Lance, and Lance is quite strongly grasping one of his hands.

"Keith, Keith, hey, are you—" He snaps his jaw shut when Keith relaxes, eyes focusing on him and silently communicating that he's fine.

Lance whines and slowly lowers his head until it's resting on their intertwined fingers, swearing softly under his breath.

"Sorry," the black-haired teen whispers, lifting his other hand to card his fingers through Lance's hair. Lance shakes his head and follows his movement, expression one of pure relief.

"I thought you were gonna whack me since you were thrashing around so much," he attempts to joke, smiling weakly. Keith smiles back, just as unsure, and with that they both release some of their tension.

"Sorry. I just—had a bad dream."

Lance lifts his head and Keith's fingers slide down the side of his face before retracting quickly, his cheeks turning a dusty pink. Lately he's been touching Lance more often, which would be fine if they were friendly pats on the shoulder or playful punches. But these touches are gentle and intimate, not something that two friends would normally do with each other. Even so, Lance doesn't seem to mind; in fact, he revels in Keith's attention, even going so far as to return the affection. Keith finds he likes it most when Lance scratches his head, and the thought makes him cough and blush even harder.

It's been another week since they went into town, and after that escapade Keith had slept for nearly fourteen vargas, beyond exhausted. But since then he's found that his strength has almost completely returned, seeing as yesterday he and Lance had raced around the medical wing a couple of times and it took a little while for him to get truly winded. Lance seems more than happy that he's back to normal, crowing that if it wasn't for him Keith would probably still be a complete wreck. Even the amount of medical equipment inside the room has reduced; all he's left with now is the IV, and that's not even attached to his arm at the moment. It's just there as a reminder, telling him not to do anything crazy.

Of course with the accomplishment of his recovery comes the uncertainty of the future ahead. Keith is too afraid to ask Lance what his plans are from here, worried that the Blue Paladin will say he's going home and leaving Keith to his own devices now that he's better. He hates to admit it but he knows that his time with Lance is coming to an end. One way or the other Lance will go home or return to the castle; either way these fun adventures with him will soon be over, and more than anything Keith doesn't want that to happen. It's selfish of him, he knows that. Lance has responsibilities and duties, he can't be stuck here entertaining him day after day. But Keith can't deny the fact that he's come to really enjoy Lance's company. Despite their differences they've somehow grown closer over the past few weeks, and Keith wishes it could continue on like this forever. They don't have any more duties to Voltron, they're teenagers with the future ahead of them, and Keith wants to spend that future with Lance.

Immediately he can feel his body warm and a nervous tingling set his nerves aflame. By spending the future with Lance, he doesn't mean it in _that_ sort of way! He just wants to spend more time with him, as friends. That's it. Just friends!

Even though he tells himself that, Keith knows deep down that whatever is going on between them definitely passed the friendship boundary a long time ago. But that doesn't mean he's going to admit it anytime soon.

_We're friends. Nothing more. That's not going to change!_

"So what was your dream about?"

Keith jolts and bites the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from making any strange noises. Clearly being around the brunette all the time isn't helping him with his predicament. Keith wonders if maybe getting away from Lance for a little while will help him with his raging emotions.

"I, um..." He furrows his eyebrows, thinking. He tries not to focus on the fact that Lance is still holding his hand. Quiznak!

"Someone was crying," he recalls, frowning. He remembers how desperate and weak they had sounded, and something in his chest stirs. It's painful. His mood shifts. "They said they were sorry...but I don't know what for. They were so sad..."

Lance draws away, alarm flaring in his eyes for a moment. As suddenly as it had appeared it vanishes, leaving Keith to wonder if it had even been there at all.

"Maybe it was just that. A dream. Like, not anything significant, you know?" He suggests curiously, tilting his head. He looks thoughtful. "Or maybe it's a memory from a really long time ago. Of your..." He trails off, uncomfortable.

Keith knows that Lance had probably meant his parents, and thinks it's kind of him that he's trying to avoid that subject. Keith used to be sensitive about it, but not anymore. His parents hadn't wanted him, and that's fine. He's become a brilliant pilot and made so many amazing friends and _saved the universe_ without their help. He doesn't need them. Of course part of him would like to see them, at least once, but it's not something he absolutely can't live without. He has Lance—and Shiro and Hunk and Pidge and Allura and Coran, and that's more than enough for him. They're his family now.

He ponders briefly over whether or not the person in his dream had been one of his parents, and comes to the conclusion that it probably wasn't. He _knows_ who that person was, it's someone very familiar and safe, but he just can't exactly place them yet. He doesn't know his parents personally, and he probably couldn't even recognize them if he tried, so that's why he's sure it wasn't either of them.

_Cross that out_ , his thinks sourly, staring at the brown wall.

"Well, whatever! It probably isn't important anyway," and Lance leans back, yawning loudly. He looks like a cat stretching out in the sun, all lean muscles and...

_And that's enough of that_ , he cuts that thought off right then and there, inwardly kicking himself. _Get your head out of the clouds!_

"So. I was thinking we could go somewhere different today."

Keith perks up at that. Since their trip into town they haven't really gone anywhere else, and that claustrophobic feeling is starting to creep in again. He longs to get outside and see the world, not be stuck in here surrounded by the same old brown walls and dim ceiling lights. After traipsing the universe for nearly a year he finds that staying in one place for too long feels unnatural.

"Oh, yeah?"

"That's right!" Lance chirps and rises to his feet, an excited yet mischievous grin quirking his lips. "Just wait 'til you see what I have planned. It's gonna be freaking _epic_."

And knowing Lance and his knack for getting into trouble, Keith has no doubt that it will be.

"So, up you go! I'm going out to get things ready. I'll be back soon. You'd better be dressed by then or—"

"—You'll leave without me, I know," Keith finishes for him, chuckling.

Lance beams at him, radiating like a solar flare, and leaves the room. His absence makes everything seem more bland and empty. Keith hurriedly changes into his regular outfit, which Lance had fetched from the ship before the others departed. He doesn't like being by himself anymore, and he hates being without Lance, even for just a few minutes. It's absurdly stupid how attached he's gotten to the Blue Paladin. But then again Keith has always been a lone wolf, and when he forms close relationships with people he cherishes them, because it's rare. It's extremely strange for him to get comfortable with someone else, so now that he has a group of people he can call his friends—his _family_ —he feels offput when he's not near them. And seeing as Lance is the only person he's had repeated contact with over the last month, of course it makes sense that Keith has grown used to his presence and being around him in general.  That's the only reason his very being longs to have him nearby. That's it. Seriously.

Before Keith's emotions can continue to spiral in that direction, Lance reappears to save the day. He looks extremely upbeat, energy seeming to emanate from his core, a fierce spark in his deep sea eyes.

"You're dressed, great! Let's go. I want to beat the crowds," and without warning he takes Keith's hand and drags him out of the room, laughing to himself.

Keith doesn't even bother to ask where they're going, because he knows Lance would much rather keep it a surprise. He keeps pace with the taller teen easily, unable to keep a smile off his face. It widens when he looks down to see Lance's fingers once again curled around his own, making his palms warm and a little sweaty, but he doesn't mind. They've been holding hands a lot lately. But that's totally a normal thing for friends to do, right? Keith isn't sure, since he's never really had any friends before meeting Team Voltron.

_What are the boundaries_...He sighs to himself, looking up to see the sky is gray and speckled with dark rain clouds. It's about time they get a rain shower here. Lately the days have been hot and humid, not that Keith has been outside much to experience it. It's nice to see the change, knowing just how much Lance had missed rain on Earth, and wonders if he's been out in a storm yet since they got back.

"Are we going out in the rain?" He inquires, growing more puzzled when Lance shakes his head and leads him around the building. They walk for a couple minutes, the air thick with moisture.

When they finally turn a corner, the Earth begins to rumble. Keith cries out and involuntarily clings to Lance, cursing himself on the inside after the fact. Lance simply whistles, and the rumbling gets louder. Keith looks around frantically, wondering just what kind of thing Lance is calling to them.

All of his fears come to a sharp halt when an enormous blue mechanical lion bounds into view. Lance slides out of Keith's grip and dashes forward, arms raised in an exuberant greeting.

"Blue!" He cries joyfully, giggling when the lion slows down and crouches right by his figure. Lance leans in and embraces the beast, happily rubbing his cheek against the lion's plated nose.

"Good to see ya, girl," he grins, patting her. "Have you been keeping a good eye on things while I was on vacation?"

He's answered with a low growl of approval. Lance steps back and nods thoughtfully.

"'Kay. We'll have Shiro take care of that. But in the meantime, I need you to take us somewhere. Can you do that for me?"

The lion responds by opening her mouth, an invitation to come in. Lance whirls back around to face Keith and beckons him over, the cheeriness in his expression combating the gloomy gray sky up above. Keith shuffles over to him, snorting when Blue releases a playful cloud of steam out of her nostrils.

"So...where are we going?" He has to ask this time, since the fact that Blue is here means they probably aren't going anywhere on Earth.

"Ah ah ah! It's a secret!" Lance holds up a finger to his lips, eyes twinkling. "Let's hurry and go. I can't wait for you to see!"

They climb into the lion together, kicking each other teasingly in the dark. They slide into the cockpit and everything turns on at once, highlighting their faces with a soft blue glow. Lance looks comfortable and at home in his seat, hands already tapping away as he enters the coordinates. Keith peers around and feels a wave of nostalgia overcome him. He's missed this, being inside of a lion, even though it's not his own. That thought itself brings up an urgent question, one that he hasn't thought to ask yet.

"Lance," he says quietly, memorizing the way the lights make the Paladin's eyes look like mini galaxies, "Where's Red? Is she here?"

The brunette pauses and looks over to him, somewhat surprised. "Red? Oh—right, I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" And he focuses back on what he's doing, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. It's kinda cute.

"Red's back at the castle. She was, um...pretty upset when you got injured. We all kinda had to team up to subdue her, otherwise she probably would have torn us to shreds."

Keith sighs at this, nodding fondly. _That sounds like her,_ he thinks, smiling a little. Red has always been overprotective of him, and after taking a hit like that he can see why she'd gotten so upset.

"So, yeah. Sorry she isn't here on Earth...the next time we can contact Allura and Coran, I'll let them know to send her here for you," Lance finishes his explanation, his voice laced with sympathy. It's not fun to be separated from your lion, a being that you've basically meshed your soul with.

"Alright," his lips quirk up, teeth flashing. "We're all set! Blue, let's go!"

Within minutes they're already escaping Earth's atmosphere, adrenaline charging through their veins as they chase tiny meteorites on their course. It's been too long since Keith has seen this canvas of twinkling stars and swirling nebulas, and that homesick part of him finally feels at ease. Lance yells joyfully as they swerve through an asteroid field, he and Blue in perfect sync. Keith holds on to the back of his chair and laughs. It's fun, doing this. It's definitely much better since they aren't outrunning a Galra fleet this time.

Sooner or later they lapse into a comfortable silence, their eyes reflecting comets as they rocket by. Keith has lost track of where they are, having passed Pluto a long time ago.

"Lance," he whispers, not wanting to break the peaceful quiet, but feeling the need to speak his mind.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you," he says sincerely, reaching over to pat his arm. Lance can't help but chuckle at this.

"For what?"

Keith closes his eyes and leans against the seat, still being able to see the glowing blue underneath his eyelashes. It's blue everywhere, like the vast ocean, like Lance's eyes.

"Everything." He murmurs, not specifying. He knows Lance will understand what he's trying to convey anyway.

"Of course."

The response is a little unexpected, Keith half prepared to hear the taller teen go into a bout of gloating. But instead he's rewarded with a voice that sounds so heartfelt and happy that it makes him melt.

"Oh, we're here!"

The moment is interrupted, as their moments together usually are, by Lance's excited exclamation. Keith stands up and leans over Lance's shoulder, eyes focusing on a planet fast approaching in the distance. It looks extremely rocky and smattered with craters, altogether a not very welcoming appearance.

"Uh...are you sure?" He mutters in disbelief. This is what Lance had wanted to show him so desperately?

The other boy nods energetically, his eyes practically sparkling. "Yup!"

Keith folds his arms and shakes his head.

"It doesn't look very appealing..."

Lance tsks at him, and they prepare to enter the atmosphere for landing.

"Keith, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover! The surface doesn't matter," he smiles at him, the sight of it more mesmerizing than any planet. "It's what _underneath_ that really counts."


	6. The Caves of Xitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha wow um. Hey sorry it's been a little while?? Like four months RIP
> 
> But! Even if a lot of time passes I'll never EVER abandon this story so it's okay, don't worry! I have the entire plot written out anyway so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing for it lol it just takes me a very long time to write...hnngh
> 
> Anyway! Today is Lance's birthday so I figured I'd upload this chapter, finally, for my sweet boy :')  
> I broke my rule of "finish the next chapter before posting a new one" but yeah you guys have waited long enough and I feel REALLY bad for leaving this story in the dust so. Here we are...
> 
> **Some things to take note for this chapter:** Lance is a dork who loves to sing so yes, there's singing in this chapter! The song he sings to Keith is called Silhouettes, it's very very catchy and I can totally imagine them both dancing to it, and whenever I listen to it I just wanna break out in song and start spinning around lol also Colony House is a FANTASTIC band so? The song is here so you can listen and read along to the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBTB54ty-tc  
>  Ya'll should check out Colony House's other music I love them they're GREAT
> 
>  Anyway! I think that's all I have to say for now. Happy birfday Lance and roll the chappy! :3c

Blue's engines rumble as they make their descent, grayish-white clouds swirling around them. Keith's eyes flicker over the expanse of rock. Without context it looks quite similar to some of the places on Earth. But from his experiences exploring the galaxy, he'll have to be wary when setting foot on this alien planet.  
  
When they touch the ground, Lance leans forward and sappily embraces the control panel, a way of rewarding Blue for her hard work. She rumbles in thanks, rocking the two humans back and forth. Then she shuts down, the lights inside the cockpit dimming. Everything is eerily silent.   
  
"Alright," Lance smiles and gestures for Keith to follow him. "Let's get going."   
  
As they prepare to exit Blue and begin their day's adventure, Keith hesitates. Is it really okay for them to just waltz outside without any equipment or proper protection?   
  
Lance seems to sense what he's thinking for he releases a humorous chuckle and shoots him a knowing smile.   
  
"Don't worry, I've done my research on this place." He holds out his hand and Keith takes it without even thinking. He trusts Lance now, more than anyone, and he knows the taller teen would never intentionally lead him into a dangerous situation.   
  
When the hangar door opens, they step out onto the dusty ground. The sky is a strange shade of green, and all Keith can see for miles around is a dull, boring landscape. Not a speck of vegetation is in sight. He really hopes Lance doesn't plan to impress him with this scenery. It would appeal to someone like Pidge, who's fascinated with any type of planet they arrive on, no matter how plain-looking.   
  
They start to walk, Blue's entrance closing up behind them. Despite the bland backdrop, Keith feels at peace, and his insides are filled with a gentle warmth. Something sparks in his stomach when Lance squeezes his hand as they shuffle along.   
  
"The atmosphere isn't made up of oxygen," he begins casually, stepping over a small boulder. "But it's similar to oxygen in that we can breathe it in without getting poisoned."   
  
Keith nods in understanding. A frown tugs at the corner of his lips as he takes another look around.   
  
"There's nobody here," he observes. It's a little spooky. The planet seems to be completely deserted.   
  
"Oh, trust me," Lance chuckles, "there will be plenty of people where we're going, don't worry. Even so, while this place is a tourist attraction not too many people know about it, so hopefully it won't be too crowded."   
  
Mystified, Keith blinks in acknowledgement. If Lance says so, he'll have to put his faith in him. By the excitement shining in his eyes, Keith is sure that whatever awaits them is definitely not going to be short of amazing.   
  
They continue on for another ten minutes or so, the silence broken as Lance hums softly under his breath. Keith almost closes his eyes, lost in the warmth from Lance's hand and the soothing tones rising up from his throat, but is jolted back to awareness when he almost trips over a rock. Lance doesn't say anything but he laughs quietly to himself, mumbling something about "Keith" and "klutzy", making the raven flush up to his ears.   
  
After a while an enormous formation comes into view, towering over their heads. As they come closer Keith spots an opening in the rock, with a slope leading downwards into complete darkness. Realization strikes him like lightning and he almost feels dumb for not noticing before.   
  
"Caves," he says, walking a little faster. Lance keeps pace with him. "Everything is underground in caves. Right?"   
  
"Bingo!" Lance cheers, a little skip in his step. Keith smiles at him, enamored.   
  
"Watch your step," the Blue Paladin warns him once they enter, their shoes scuffing against the sandy slope.   
  
Keith holds his breath as they continue down, the light beginning to fade from behind them until he can only see a couple feet in front of him. The only reassurance he has is that Lance still hasn't let go of his hand, and he can hear the steady breathing of the brunette from beside him.   
  
Sooner or later they're completely enshrouded in darkness, and Keith barely restrains from stumbling on the uneven path.   
  
"Lance," he gasps once he regains his balance, the other boy's strong grip hoisting him back into position. "Are we nearly there? I can't see anything."   
  
"Give it another minute or two," is the teen's response. It echoes off the walls, bouncing back until it reaches Keith's ears, sounding distorted and far away.   
  
Keith has to squeeze Lance's hand again just to make sure he's still there. Lance returns the gesture and rubs his thumb along the back of Keith's hand. The black-haired teen is extremely glad it's too dark to see the pink flush that is painting the bridge of his nose.   
  
Suddenly, his vision is regained when he looks up and sees a tiny light in the distance. Relieved, he steals a glance at his partner, who is grinning in anticipation. Finally able to see where he's walking, Keith picks up the pace, gravel crunching beneath his shoes, and Lance releases a hyper sort of noise.   
  
When they turn the corner, Keith feels all of his breath rush out.   
  
They've stepped into an enormous cavern that is decorated head to toe in glowing crystals. They stick out of the walls, ceiling and floor, dazzling and bright, blending into an assortment of colors. They change hues every now and then, making the cave look like a living being, and the sight is absolutely mesmerizing. Keith can't take his eyes off of the shimmering gems, his breath caught in his throat.   
  
"Welcome to the caves of Xitor," Lance murmurs, equally as entranced.   
  
When Keith finally finds his voice again, it comes out soft.   
  
"Oh, Lance," he whispers, in awe. "It's beautiful."   
  
"This isn't even the best part!" Lance releases his hand and, wiggling his torso, makes an enormous leap into the cavern.   
  
Keith gasps when a sound echoes, reverberating, and a wave of colors erupt beneath Lance's feet and shoot up the walls. It's the most gorgeous thing he's ever witnessed, and he wants to see it again.   
  
"They're actually called the musical caves of Xitor!" Lance tells him, tapping his foot. Purple waves of color are unleashed this time, and another sound rings in the air, clear and crisp. It's such a lovely noise.   
  
"Musical caves?" Keith repeats, eyes wide.   
  
"That's right!" Lance jumps around a little, laughing as more notes bounce off the walls and a rainbow clashes over their heads.   
  
"It's a bit special," he continues, his eyes reflecting the colorful crystals. "These caves can sense what kind of notes you want to play on any instrument. Check it out!"   
  
And then he twirls, knocking his fists against the crystal jutting out next to him, and a series of chimes echo in the air. The crystal rapidly changes color from red to orange to blue. It takes a moment but Keith recognizes the tune, shaking his head fondly.   
  
"Are you _seriously_ playing the Pokemon theme song?"   
  
" _I wanna be the very best_ ," Lance crows, howling with laughter when the cave repeats his singing with the melody.   
  
"Come on, try it!" He waves Keith forward, daring him to step into the cave and join in on the fun.   
  
_Well, he brought me all this way,_ Keith grins widely to himself and, as Lance did, takes a jump inside, almost giggling when he lands and sees a wave of green explode beneath his feet. A _dong_ resonates throughout the cavern.   
  
"Not bad!" Lance teases him, a bit snooty, and the raven rolls his eyes.   
  
He watches, enthralled, when Lance closes his eyes and begins to tap out a beat, the sounds ricocheting to and fro. The vibration reaches Keith's shoes and shoots straight up his back, making him shriek in delight.   
  
Lance shoots him a smirk and continues to _tap tap tap_ his feet, curling in his fingers. Keith gets the cue and starts to join in, experimentally bumping his fist against a crystal next to him. With a jolt, he realizes that they're making music together.   
  
The brunette sways his hips and starts to dance along, traveling towards the far end of the cavern. Keith follows him, his sneakers hitting the floor.   
  
" _Are you half empty?_  
 _Why don't you fill up?_  
 _There's no sense in holding_  
 _Onto something broken_ ," Lance starts to sing, his voice powerful and lulling all at once.   
  
" _Did you lose something?_  
 _Or someone you love?_  
 _You've still got that story_  
 _Tell it every morning._ "   
  
Keith follows him as he twists and turns, completely hypnotized by the tune and the way Lance kicks out his feet to the rhythm.   
  
" _Driving down a road, down a road that's stolen_  
 _All the lovely memories your heart's been holding_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_ " and he takes Keith's hand, drawing him in close so they're chest to chest. Keith can scarcely breathe, his heart feeling too many things at once, his vision drowning in everything that is Lance.   
  
Lance smiles and then they're spinning, round and round, their feet making more music as they go.   
  
" _Driving down a road, down a road that's hidden_  
 _All your faithful memories, your faith for living_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on—_ "   
  
Suddenly he lets Keith go, the shorter teen whirling out in circles until he's several feet away, feeling lost and slightly disoriented. Lance chuckles and cocks his head at him, a sly smirk pulling up the corners of his mouth.   
  
" _So come on!_ "   
  
And he turns, dashing away, snickering good-naturedly. Keith shakes his head and chases after him, the melody continuing to play. Lance has stopped now. Keith notices that they're out of the main cavern and have come into a small passage of sorts. It's littered with glowing crystals so there's no need to worry about being trapped in the darkness once again. Keith isn't sure how to feel as Lance launches into the second verse, having resumed his dancing and spinning, so very light on his feet. The sight manages to vanquish all of his thoughts and the breath in his lungs. Lance looks positively stunning, and it's not fair at all.   
  
" _Nothing is perfect_  
 _For that there's no cure_  
 _So don't you start to bury_  
 _The good with the bad and the ugly._ "   
  
Keith slides down a slope and does a little twirl himself, laughing joyfully. The movement they have going to this song is addicting, and sooner or later he's completely into it, rotating his hips and knocking his shoes to the meter. Lance's eyes are so bright, shining with the deepest of ocean hues, and he tries not to get flustered and ruin his dancing when they lock with his.   
  
" _Driving down a road, down a road that's stolen_  
 _All the lovely memories your heart's been holding_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on._ "   
  
They spin together this time, once, twice in a row, their jackets flaring out behind them. The cave glows with such a merry intensity it's nearly blinding.   
  
" _Driving down a road, down a road that's hidden_  
 _All your faithful memories, your faith for living_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on._ "   
  
The two of them simultaneously dash forward, thudding against the floor, and suddenly Lance whips around and leans towards him. Keith rocks back and then they go the opposite way, his body gravitating towards Lance, who tilts away and continues, a little winded,   
  
_"So come on!"_   
  
The Paladins laugh and chase each other into another cavern, a little smaller than the last. The music still echoes as Lance nudges the walls, blue spiraling from his fingertips to meet at the center of the ceiling. He draws closer and closer to Keith, who is tense with anticipation. They're high on adrenaline and the melody and Lance's body radiates with such a heat that the shorter teen feels as if he's going to pass out, the fire inside of him overwhelming.   
  
Lance finally closes the distance between them, pressing the palm of his hand against Keith's chest. His eyelashes brush on his skin, delicate and pretty, and Keith inhales sharply when the brunette's nose bumps against his.   
  
" _And I can feel your heartbeat slipping away,_ " he sings, his breath washing over Keith's face. It smells like mint and vanilla. His heart thumps in his chest, fast, too fast.   
  
" _It's hard to catch the light_   
_When you're running from the day._ "   
  
It's at this precise moment that Keith realizes he's far too gone to turn back. Lance has taken him captive but he can't find it in himself to care. He sighs and closes his eyes, memorizing the feeling of the teen's fingers tracing down his jaw, extremely gentle.   
  
" _So wait for it, wait for it, wait..._ "   
  
Keith stands completely still, trying extremely hard not to hyperventilate, and waits—   
  
Lance pulls away, much to his disappointment, but it doesn't last for long when his hand is enveloped by the other's again. Lance tugs him in and twirls him around, and he feels like a prince. Soon enough they're dancing once more, together instead of apart, bathed under the lights from the crystals.   
  
" _Driving down a road, down a road that's stolen_  
 _All the lovely memories your heart's been holding_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on._  
 _Driving down a road, down a road that's hidden_  
 _All your faithful memories, your faith for living_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on,_  
 _Nothing silhouettes 'til the lights come on._ "   
  
Lance draws in and presses his forehead against Keith's. The affection in his eyes is genuine and so very soft. The raven is honestly surprised he hasn't melted into a puddle yet.   
  
" _So come on,_ " Lance whispers, beaming.   
  
They rotate around a couple more times, their steps becoming slower and slower as the song fades out.   
  
Once it ends Keith collapses into Lance's arms, not realizing how exhausted he's become. Lance sighs into his ear, his fingers tangled in Keith's ebony locks. They stay in their embrace for a long time, absorbing each other's warmth into their hearts.   
  
And if Keith cries a little on Lance's shoulder, well, the brunette doesn't say anything about it as they walk outside to join Blue again, hand in hand.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow wasn't that sappy //shot  
> Keith is me, getting overemotional about stuff like that so easily  
> Also poor boy is really tired along with his super conflicting feelings towards Lance so yeah he's like super cathartic at the end of that chapter ;w;
> 
> BUT WOW I LOVE THE CAVES OF XITOR...that whole music crystal cave idea has actually been with me for a LONG time, way way before this fic so when I saw the opportunity to present it I _took it_  
>  Also wow hey Pokemon reference I'm such a fucking nerd
> 
> I don't know when the next chapter is gonna be since I've barely started writing it and I haven't touched it in like three months so!! Yeah please be patient! I'm not really in a Voltron writing mood atm so it might take a little while. But hopefully with the soon to be release of Season 3, I'll be back in that mood and have inspiration to write once again!!
> 
> Alright kiddies, until next time! I love you all and I hope you have a good day :')


End file.
